Through Her Eyes

Chapter 7: Of Cats and Compromises

It was quiet that night, almost too quiet it seemed as Remus and Hermione sat in the light of the glowing hearth. Her cobalt eyes were focused on the chessboard set between them, while Remus's gaze landed on her face, darted away like he hadn't been looking before eventually returning to the board as well. Lifting a lip as Hermione ordered one of her pieces to move, Remus chuckled,

"Mm, check,"

The Black Knight slid slowly across the board, violently kicking at the White Castle set to protect the King,

"Boggart," Hermione breathed softly, leaning forward on her knees and furrowing her brows. Channeling Dumbledore, she steepled her fingers as she thought about her next move.
This had, seemingly, become a nightly ritual for the two. Hermione would hide away in the dormitory, completing her homework or chatting with Lily before making her way down into the Common Room after the other girls fell asleep. Remus was - usually - already there, chocolate and tea ready and the fire crackling softly,
"I've never been good at chess," Hermione mumbled from behind her hand, eyebrows still neatly pulled together in deep concentration. Finally, she made a move,

"Checkmate, Hermione," Remus said, watching as the White King fell with a small clatter. Heaving a breath, the loser in question groaned slightly. The chessboard had been a new addition to their nightly ritual, along with packages of Chocolate Frogs stolen from James' trunk and a few hands of Exploding Snap if sleep was heavy in the dorm rooms,

"You're very good at Chess, Remus," Hermione mumbled, leaning on a hand as she watched an enchanted hand broom sweep the pieces back into the bottom of the box,

"It helps me relax. Though it's much nicer having someone to play with,"

"Oh?" Hermione questioned, lifting an eyebrow as the pieces began to reset themselves, "why's that?"

"So I can rub someone's nose in it,"

Scoffing, Hermione reached out and tapped Remus on she shoulder. However a quietness enveloped them suddenly, as the clanking of the pieces filled the silence,

"Listen...Hermione, about today at breakfast-"

"I don't even want to talk about breakfast," Hermione mumbled, a sour expression coming to her face as she thought about Sirius, "what's his deal anyway?"

Remus seemed to start a bit as Hermione paled, realizing she was supposed to know exactly what his deal was. She was his deal - as his least favorite Slytherin cousin. Swallowing and shrinking back against the sofa, Remus leaned in close and squinted slightly,

"You mean you can't remember?"

Hermione twitched slightly, rubbing a hand against the back of her neck. She didn't want to lie to Remus, but she didn't want to tell him the truth. Traveling back in time and waking up as someone else was bizarre enough, let alone being transported 20 years in the past on top of that. Clearing her throat as Remus waited for an answer, Hermione groaned slightly,

"Since you're so desperate to know, Mr. Lupin," she snapped unintentionally, "When I woke up in the Hospital Wing, I couldn't remember anything. It was almost like...like I was living a different life,"

'It's not a total lie,' Hermione supposed blandly, rolling a lip and twirling a curl of dark almond hair,

"Memory loss, I'm sure Poppy has some kind of potion for that," Remus stated helpfully, though the look Hermione was giving him shut his mouth quick. It was a look of utter confusion, one Hermione reserved only for when Divination got something right, or she had gotten something completely wrong,

"Remus, I know you want to help. But I just...I really don't understand what happened to me, and it's all very confusing,"

Hermione grimaced slightly, thinking about how the Gryffindors and Slytherin's alike now avoided her like the plague,